Show Me Where My Armor Ends (Tris and Tobias)
by imfallingforyoureyes102
Summary: 'Tobias moves quickly as he shuts the water off, his entire upper body getting drenched in the process, and he blankets a towel around Tris's body before crouching down next to her. She doesn't move – doesn't do anything really – and Tobias presses his nose against her wet hair, his lips brushing her temple. "I'm here," he whispers, voice tight. "I'm here, Tris. You're okay."


**Hi friends – here's a new story/multichapter fic! Hope you like it. Takes place in the "This Love" and "In Sickness and in Sneezes" world!**

_**I am planning for this to be a multific – not super long, but definitely more than a couple of chapters. I have an idea that I'm really excited for, so bear with me! (With that being said, I am also working very, very hard on My Little Soldier, so thanks for the support!)**_

**Oh – and I don't know what Eric's last name is (I saw somewhere people say Coulter) but, rest assured, it is the Eric we all know and love.**

**Please let me know what you think my dudes!**

**Also, if you have the time, take a look at my note at the end – I just wanted to share a thought:).**

Tobias can't breathe.

He's felt rage before – hell, his time overseas had cultivated and refined fury to a point where it had become the most lethal weapon. But the anger he feels now is mixed with fear and panic, and it blurs the edges of his vision and burns him from the inside out.

When he reaches for his door handle, he realizes he's shaking.

And for a second he can't think, but then he hears the sirens and sees the glare of the flashing blue and red lights on his skin and suddenly all he can think about is getting inside.

_To Tris. Get to Tris._

He steps past the doorman of apartment and flies towards the elevators. Tobias lets out a frustrated growl as he jabs at the button, and after another five seconds of nothing he's jogging towards the staircase and sprinting the eight flights up to Tris's floor.

By the time he reaches her door, he doesn't know if he's panting from exertion or on the verge of a panic attack, but he shoves both thoughts down as he reaches for the key under the little Gnome statue that Tris had decorated with a little Santa hat and candy cane just last week.

His heart squeezes at the memory, but then the door is open and he's staring at Detective Eric Coulter, another officer, and a teary blonde woman that looks a lot like Tris.

"Where is she?"

"Sir - ,"

"Where is she," Tobias snarls, eyes flashing as he steps towards the officer, finger jamming into his chest. He's only been there a few seconds but he already wants to snap the guy's wrist. His eyes scan the room, and they skip to Coulter before falling on the blonde woman.

"Mr. Eaton, you cannot just barge in here -,"

Tobias turns his eyes on Eric, and there must be something there that he sees because the Detective's eyes go from harsh to sympathetic in a flash.

The blonde woman looks like she wants to speak, but all she does is point towards the bathroom, and Tobias's feet are already moving.

He knocks on the door.

"Tris?"

Tobias waits a second, only hearing the sound of running water.

He knocks again. "Tris, it's Tobias - ,"

"She won't let anyone in," the woman says, her eyes wide with tears. Tobias turns to her. "Every time we try, she starts screaming to get out." She lets out a shaky breath before covering her mouth, and Detective Eric awkwardly pats her shoulder.

Any other time Tobias would try to reassure the woman as well – he's pretty sure she's Tris's mother – but her words only intensify the unease in Tobias's chest and he turns back around with more urgency.

"Tris," he says, a bit louder this time. He jostles the handle and finds it unlocked. "Tris, sweetheart, I'm gonna come in okay?"

No reply.

Tobias lets out a desperate huff and looks down at his feet. The next time he speaks, his voice is unwavering – insistent.

"Tris, I'm coming in."

With that he pushes the door open just enough to let himself through. There's no noise – no retaliation – and for a split second he's relieved.

But then he sees her with her legs drawn up tightly to her chest, back to him, curled up under the scalding spray of the shower head. Her back is stained red from the water and, despite the heat, she's shaking all over.

Tobias moves quickly as he shuts the water off, his entire upper body getting drenched in the process, and he blankets a towel around Tris's body before crouching down next to her.

She doesn't move – doesn't do anything really – and Tobias presses his nose against her wet hair.

"I'm here," he whispers, finally letting the fear in his voice come through. "I'm here Tris, you're okay. You're okay, you're okay, you're okay."

Tobias waits for a moment before straightening up from his kneeling position and stalks back out to the living room.

"Out." The words fall from his lips, almost like a growl. "Get out. _Now."_

His eyes move between Eric and the other officer. His shirt is soaked and he's shaking so much that he can barely focus on the frowning men, and he knows deep, _deep _down that he shouldn't be so aggressive to the people trying to help, but this is something that Tris can deal with later.

"Mr. Eaton - ,"

"_Get. Out._"

Tobias's chest is rising and falling with each deep breath he takes, and he doesn't realize that he's got his hand curled into a fist – he doesn't realize that the voice that's leaving his mouth is more soldier than Tobias Eaton, and it's only when Tris's mother steps in that he remembers to breathe.

"She'll give her statement later," she whispers.

"Ms. Prior, the longer - ,"

"You need to leave. _Now,"_ Tobias's distraught voice cuts off the officer, a strong distaste for the man already in his mouth. He turns to the older man, his tone a bit softer, face a bit warmer. "Eric, _please_. She'll be able to talk later." His eyes flash to the bathroom before whispering out, "Just not now."

He doesn't wait for an answer, praying that Eric's hatred of him would be placed on the backburner at least for now, and he's already turning back towards the bathroom to Tris.

She hasn't moved much. Her eyes are still fixed straight ahead and she's pulled the towel tight around her, but other than that she's completely void of anything.

Tobias can feel his throat tighten, but he buries that feeling deep down as he crouches next to the tub.

"Tris, sweetheart?" He starts, voice quiet and gentle. "Let's get you out of the tub, okay?"

He wants to cry when she looks at him. It's the first form of acknowledgement he's able to get from her and it's so numb that something inside of him breaks. She just stares, her eyes pooling with tears, and Tobias presses his palms against either side of her face as he thumbs her cheek.

"You're okay, Tris. You're safe. I've got you, okay? I've got you." His voice trails off in a whisper, and though Tris says nothing, the pressure he feels from her pressing her face into his hand speaks volumes. He runs his thumb along the span of her cheek on last time before pressing his lips right between her eyebrows.

"C'mere," he whispers delicately. Tobias makes sure the towel is completely covering Tris before he gathers her into his arms. She tucks her head under his chin and he takes a second to just hold her – to just reassure himself that she's here, that she's okay, that she's _alive. _

Because when Zeke had walked into his office earlier that night and told him to check his phone – that _It's Tris, man. Something's happened – _ he hadn't known if any of that were true. He thinks it has to be some sick joke – thatthe _one_ day they take off from playing guardians of the city, reality has to go and remind him that he can't always protect the people he loves.

His throat tightens and his eyes start to burn so much so that he has to press his face into Tris's hair to avoid breaking down. He takes a deep breath and turns, not caring that the two of them are dripping water everywhere, and he starts when he sees Ms. Prior staring at him with wide eyes.

"Did they leave?" Tobias's voice is raspy and drained and he's already moving past her when she gives a quick nod, and by the time he enters Tris's bedroom, he feels less like he's about to break down and more like he wants to hit something.

But then he glances down at the girl who's already fallen asleep in his arms, and all he can feel is an overwhelming sense of _something_ and it nearly brings him to his knees.

It's also then he realizes that Tris is unclothed under her towel, and while the two have them have started paving their way to a relationship a bit deeper than work colleagues and nighttime vigilante pals, they're still only friends and helping her into clothes doesn't quite seem to be an action that falls into that category.

Natalie's already entering the room when he turns to look for her, and though the two of them had never officially met before, it's an unspoken understanding that let's Tobias know that Tris will be fine in her mother's arms for right now. He doesn't want to leave though, doesn't want to stop running his calloused hand through her hair or watching the rise and fall of her breathing, but he knows Tris needs warm clothes and a long nap far more than he needs her to be near him.

So, he does the only thing he can do – does the only thing that can slightly ease the slamming of his heart and shaking of his hands – and he presses his lips to Tris's hairline and leaves the room before the tears in his eyes threaten to spill.

"Four?"

The man in question freezes, and for a second, he's not sure if he has the mental strength to talk to anyone right now. But then he looks up and is met with Zeke's worried face and kind eyes and he remembers that he's not the only one who loves Tris Prior.

"Jesus, man. What the hell happened?" Zeke gestures to Tobias's shirt, and suddenly Tobias notices the cold draft against his wet clothes. He doesn't care though, and he slowly lowers himself down on the couch as he drags his hand down his face, too tired to do anything about it. Zeke brings over a glass of water, and Tobias gratefully downs the glass in one sip before glancing up at his friend.

"She was in the tub when I got here. Just sittin' in it. _God_ Zeke, it's like she wasn't even there," Tobias says in a tight voice. "She was just staring straight ahead."

"Do you know what happened?"

Tobias bites down hard on his lip, eyes fixed on the floor. He's about to say something when the sound of heels against hardwood fills the room.

"She hasn't said a thing since she came home," Natalie Prior says, rounding the couch and finding a seat in the armchair across from the two men. "I came up here from home, you know to surprise her – she never answers my calls so I just thought to show up,"Natalie shakes her head.

Tobias can't help the small tug of his lips as he stares at the woman in front of him, the rambling so very reminiscent of a certain chatty blonde.

"I was waiting here and the door opened and she just walked in and _God," _Natalie squeeze her eyes shut and takes a few steadying breaths. Zeke reaches across the coffee table and gives her arm a squeeze, and Natalie gives him a small smile.

"She had blood on her face, blood on her knees. Her clothes were ripped. I-I didn't know what to think. I tried to ask her what had happened, if anyone had – had t-touched her - ,"

The sound of glass shattering fills the air, startling the three of them, and it's then Tobias realizes just how hard he was holding the cup. The glass has cut into his hand, and he's bleeding a little, but that doesn't stop him from squeezing his hand into a fist in an attempt to ground himself.

"Swee-,"

"I'm fine," Tobias manages to push out, eyes fixed on Natalie. "What did she say? What did Tris - ," Tobias can't even get the sentence out as his breathing picks up, and now it's Natalie who places a reassuring hand on Tobias.

"It wasn't anything like that. That much she told me. Said someone attacked her as she was leaving work – said she was able to able to fight him off with the pepper spray that her friend had made her keep in her bag."

At that, Tobias throws an appreciative look at Zeke, knowing full well that the larger man had placed a bottle of that stuff in almost every purse of Tris's even after the two of them had successfully trained her in the art of self-defense.

"Then she disappeared into the bathroom – wouldn't let anyone come in until you came."

She looks up at Tobias, and it's then all of them realize that proper introductions hadn't officially been made.

"I'm Natalie Prior, by the way. Tris's mother."

Tobias tries to reply, but his voice finally seems to have left him. He feels a swell of gratitude when Zeke fills the silence."

"Zeke. I'm a friend of Tris."

Natalie smiles and then turns to Tobias. "And you're Tobias Eaton, Tris's boss."

It's more of a statement than anything else, but Tobias nods along.

"Also a friend of Tris?"

Tobias quickly recognizes the absurdity of the situation – the CEO of a fortune 500 company being this concerned of an employee's well-being. But he can't find his voice – can't do anything but stare into the eyes that he had grown so familiar with.

"He is," Zeke says, swooping in. "I believe Tris was the first person Four befriended after coming back to from overseas. Fixed his laptop or somethin'."

And suddenly, his voice is back and Tobias smiles slightly at the memory – at the flashes of grey eyes and red pens and innocent quips that had brought so much light into his life.

"I thought she was going to kill me," he rasps out. "Thought I had purposely broken the thing just to offend her."

"That sounds like my Tris."

"Yeah."

Natalie stares at Tobias for a long while, a hint of question and intrigue in her eyes, before speaking. Zeke phone starts ringing, and he quietly excuses himself from the living room.

"She's out like a light, now," Natalie says, a sad smile gracing her lips.

Tobias just nods, too lost in thought to really say anything insightful, and Natalie continues.

"Thank you, for taking care of her."

Tobias's attention sharpens at that, and it's with such adamant thankfulness that Natalie looks at him.

"Of course," he murmurs. "She's done the same for me."

A confused look falls on Natalie's tired face, but she brushes it off. Her eyes flicker to the clock and the flashing 3:00 AM plastered on the screen, and Tobias's eyebrows shoot up at just how late it is.

"I'm gonna head to bed," Natalie says, standing up slowly.

"I'd like to stay here tonight, if that's alright," Tobias asks quietly as he follows suit. "I just – I can't, I -I-,"

He takes a shuddering breath and is startled when Natalie closes the distance between the two of them and pulls him into a hug.

"I think Tris would really appreciate that," She pulls away from him, giving his arm a motherly squeeze. "She was right about you, you know? You're a good man, Tobias Eaton."

With that she turns and heads to Tris's room, and Tobias is left with a lump in his throat and a warmth in his body that he hadn't felt in a long time. He stands there for a bit before Zeke returns with a frown on his face.

"What is it."

"It's all over the news, man."

Tobias doesn't need to ask why that is. There had already been gossip going around about a relationship between Eaton Enterprise's CEO and executive assistant. Anything to do with Tris – at least anything this big – was bound to start circulating the news.

That doesn't stop the anger he feels from welling up inside of him, like a dam ready to burst. He's across the room and to the window within seconds, and while the sidewalk below is clear for now, he knows that they'll be cameras and critics there in the next three hours.

"Cops don't know anything about who did this?" Zeke asks.

"Tris hasn't talked to them yet," Tobias says, turning to his friend. "But I don't know Zeke, she seems a lot more shaken up for this to be a random mugging or robbery. I mean, she's faced a lot of shit in the field."

Zeke frowns, watching Tobias's face under the stream of moonlight flitting in through the window.

"Well," Zeke says. "Whatever happened, we'll figure it out, Tobias. We always do. You just – just be here for our girl, alright? I'll be back in a couple of hours – bring you back some clothes, okay?"

Tobias nods, mouth drawn in a thin.

"Don't do anything stupid," Zeke adds over his shoulder as he makes his way to the door. Any other day Tobias would completely disregard that request, but he knows, just as Zeke does, that there is no way he is leaving Tris's apartment tonight.

It's only when the front door is shut and locked – only when there is no sound coming from inside Tris's room – that Tobias lets the dam that has been building within him break. He stumbles to the bathroom, his breath coming fast and short, and he stands there staring blankly at his reflection for a good while.

It's then he notices the blood on his hand – then, when he is looking for a towel, that he sees Tris's bloodstained and torn clothes strewn across the floor.

It's also then that Tobias completely falls apart, collapsing to the floor and retching into the toilet with shaking hands and a teaHrstained face.

**(A/N): **_**Really quick**_** – I know a lot of you probably see that I have duplicate fics – one for Fourtris and one for Olicity. I got some backlash on a different website for this, and I just wanted to say that I only "duplicate" fics that I feel encompass both characters. **

**If I writes something for Fourtris that doesn't seem fitting for Olicity, I don't re-create the fic in Olicity's image. However, if I do feel it fits, then I make certain tweaks here and there to make it it's own. They may not be drastic, but it's not like I am just replacing names and places. I just wanted to clarify that in case anyone is kinda wiggy about it. **

**(I also, once again, wanna say that I find myself doing this often because the dynamic between Tris and Four is so reminiscent of the dynamic between Oliver and Felicity. It's hard to write for one without seeing attributes of the other).**

**Sorrryyyyy for the rant, anywho thanks for reading!**

**Let me know what you think! Please review it makes me smileeeeee! :)))**

**Love you all!**

'Tobias moves quickly as he shuts the water off, his entire upper body getting drenched in the process, and he blankets a towel around Tris's body before crouching down next to her. She doesn't move – doesn't do anything really – and Tobias presses his nose against her wet hair.

"I'm here," he whispers, a tear finally escaping his eye. "I'm here, 're okay."


End file.
